Part 2: Gratia
by Isabel7799
Summary: Being an Avenger has its ups and downs, but for Grace being at Avengers tower means that she finally feels like she belongs somewhere. With the unexpected return of a certain Asgardian villain, can Grace overcome her fears about her unknown past, her powers, and her growing relationship with Steve Rodgers?
1. Chapter 1

Reluctantly, Grace got out of bed. She had even considered stopping time to get a few more hours of sleep, but then thought better of it, knowing that the day must go on eventually. Padding over to the mirror that was hanging next to her chest of draws, she inspected her crinkled blonde hair. It had stayed pretty much in tact after the small amount of time she has been asleep last night. Dark bags hung under her blue-green eyes as evidence of her restless night, but she plastered a certain smile on her face and skipped to the kitchen. Many others in the world had it worse, she told herself. Here she was in a billion dollar building with a group of people who cared about her like family, and she was fretting about a few apocalyptic recurring nightmares? It wasn't like clairvoyance was one of her powers, so she didn't really have anything to worry about. The smell of coffee wafted down the corridor as she cracked open her door, and it smelt like home. This calmed her, making her feel a small semblance of normality.

As the blonde walked into the large central room of the floor, everybody present turned to smile or wave at her, wishing her good morning and asking if she'd slept well. She lied, and told them she had. Looking around she could see that Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton were both still in bed, Bruce Banner was reading the paper whilst simultaneously attempting to explain various articles to Thor, and Tony Stark and Pepper Potts were talking in the open kitchen. Her eyes finally fell upon Steve Rogers, who was sitting at the breakfast bar sketching in a notepad and he smiled back at her happily.

"Good morning," She said to him in her thick, english accent, smiling widely and warmly at the sight of him. She leaned on the breakfast bar next to him for a moment, just staring before she thought better of doing so, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a carton of milk.

Tony watched her movements carefully, "Tony," She nodded formally at him, unable to keep a straight face and allowing her lips to spread into a grin.

He rolled him eyes, grinning before quickly taking a gulp of his coffee, "How are you this happy this early in the morning?" He grumbled, taking yet another sip of coffee from the mug he was holding.

"Very easily," She replied, walking over to him, opening a cupboard door inches from his head then pulling out a box of cornflakes and a bowl. He glared at her before his expression softened at the sight of one of her notoriously contagious and goofy smiles. He was like a brother to her, and he had given her a home she really felt she belonged in. She had been there for only half a year, but she had made ties that she never thought she'd have again. Walking back over to Steve she sat down on a stool and started making herself a bowl of cereal.

"Rough night?" She asked, and they shared a look. He didn't say anything, but remembered clearly what had happened the night before.

"Could have been worse," He replied, smiling slightly at her but quickly looking away. He didn't want things to be awkward between them, or for her to think he was that kind of guy, but they shouldn't just forget it. She bit her lip, remaining silent, and Steve placed his pencil down on his notepad and quickly changed the subject, "Ready for a run today?" He asked her, ignoring whatever topic she had been referring to. He grinned a little as she turned her nose up in distain. If only she could just spend the whole day in bed. He could see the bags that hung under hr eyes, and the worry that was hidden by a convincing smile. All he wanted was for her to feel normal and happy, but something was stopping her. He understood. He knew what it was like trying to fit into a world that you couldn't feel more distant from.

"Grace? Running?" teased Tony, ruffling the younger girl's hair as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Shut it metal head," She retorted, taking a mouthful of her cereal, "I could run circles around you any day."

He scoffed, "That would require surgically removing your butt from the couch." He said with a smirk and she faked offence, Steve looking between the two with a laugh. Grace had settled in with them so quickly he could barely remember a time with the Pre-Grace Avengers. She maintained the balance between the wide mix of personalities in the group. When someone was impulsive, she was reasonable. When someone was upset, she was comforting. Natasha had once said she had that effect on people. The unblinking ability tot trust her.

After a few minutes of banter with Tony, Grace got up from her chair. Putting her bowl in the sink, she looked back over the living room. Thor and Bruce were preoccupied, talking about something to do with his brother, and she tried desperately to creep away without the physicist catching her eye.

"Physics homework," He reminded her, tapping the pen he was holding on the table. Ever since Grace had joined S.H.E.I.L.D she had been tutored by many top agents, one of which was Dr Banner.

"Give me 24 hours Doc," she sighed, a hopeful loom in her eyes.

Bruce rolled his eyes, shaking his head, "You said that 36 hours ago."

She tutted, "I do know this stuff, you know. It's like teaching a toddler the first three letter of the alphabet."

He laughed, shaking his head, "I would hardly call quantum mechanics 'ABC' but you do pick things up quickly." He raised an eyebrow, "Ever thought about reading ahead?" This was a girl who could speak every language known to man and could remember with an astounding clarity everything she read. She had the capability of being the smartest person on the planet, but maybe that's what scared her.

The girl let out an involuntary noise of derision, "You mean actually use my initiative and doing more than is asked of me?" He tilted his head at her, "Yeah, thanks. But no thanks." She shook her head, grinning and walking towards the bathroom to have a shower, winking at Steve as she went. He winked back, listening to her hum a tune as she went.

* * *

Grace walked into the bathroom and, while singing a simple tune, turned on the shower. Throwing her pyjamas on the floor she stepped into the luxurious glass enclosure, letting the scolding water run over her pale skin and wash away her troubles. Getting lost in the melody, she tried hard to think only of the up and down harmonies, instead of her ever-present nightmares.

It had been happening for weeks now, ever since Thor came back from Asgard it seemed. Every night she would shut her eyes only to dream about him. Loki. The dream was always the same; she would be sitting on the cold ground of a place she had never been before and watch as strange creatures tore apart S.H.E.I.L.D and all of her friends, helplessly watching her new life fall apart around her and there was nothing she could do about it. Then she would suddenly see Loki's face inches from her own and he would say "Gratia" and then she would wake up in a cold sweat, continuing to shake in terror until Steve came in to comfort her. It was the same every night and it made her fear going to sleep. It had always felt so real, as if she was truly living each horrible second.

She quickly shook the horrible memory from her mind and got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her long, wet hair and another towel around her body. Moving from the bathroom that she shared with Natasha, she walked to her room, dropping the towel from her body and pulling on her underwear, a S.H.E.I.L.D t-shirt, and comfortable navy running shorts. The room was a simple one, with only a bed, a desk with a chair, and a few structures to keep her clothes in. Tony had let her decorate it how she wanted, but she had wanted to keep it simple. Anyway, if it was nicer she would want to stay at Stark tower longer which was something she didn't really want for herself. As much as she loved being there, with Tony and everyone else, she was dying to get out into the world and get her own place to live. Every second of the day she felt unworthy of what she had, and a burden of everyone around her. They were all such talented and amazing individuals, and what was she? A flight risk with a couple of powers that came from god knows where. After drying her damp hair and twisting it up into a pony-tail she left her simplistic room, closing the door behind her. As soon as she pulled her door closed with a quite thud she could feel eyes watching her, and she turned to see Steve watching her from the end of the corridor.

"Don't you know it is rude to stare Rodgers," she said blushing at the muscular man. He grinned looking at the ground for a moment, his cheeks flushing a little. He then coughed, composing himself, and stood up straighter as if he were still a soldier at a line-up. She laughed slightly at the sight, he really was a man from another time.

"Are you ready for our run?" He asked, expecting her to walk back in her room and shut the door in his face but she simply agreed and flashed a winning smile his way, as she walked towards the lift that was located in the large living room.

* * *

As the two Avengers walked into the room, ready to go running, Tony couldn't help but notice the way Steve looked at Grace. There was a new glint in his eye as he did so, one that he only saw when the man looked at her. She was the only person that could always make him laugh without fail, and perhaps make him feel more normal in this new time. Steve saw him looking as Grace yelled a quick 'goodbye' to everyone, and Tony raised his eyebrows at him and chuckled to himself.

"Hey, have you heard anything about Thor's brother?" She asked abruptly, and Steve looked at her skeptically.

"Loki? No, why do you ask?" He replied, noticing a glint of worry in her eyes that she quickly tried to cover up by glancing away.

She shrugged, "I guess it's just dangerous that he's out there. I know the President would be a little concerned if he misplaced one of his nukes."

Steve scoffed, shaking his head, "Try not to worry about it. It's not your op." He told her, sensing she needed some reassurance, '"You hold the world on your shoulders," He commented and she looked over at him. That look in his eyes, that calming smile, it made her feel better. She wanted to catch Loki so nobody else could get hurt like they did in New York, but Steve was right. She couldn't do everything.

She changed the subject, "I am dreading this run, it's been so long since I've trained," Grace admitted as the lift jolted knocking her into Steve's chest. He caught her in his arms, preventing her from falling, then the lift started its decent. Blushing the girl straightened up and continued, "I guess SHIELD didn't keep me around for my agility and stamina." She scoffed slightly. Steve watched as she then turned to look at the view of the city they got from the glass elevator. Her eyes sparkled in wonder as she looked at the beautiful city, and a child-like smile creeping onto her lips.

As the lift hit the ground floor, they walked from the magnificent building to the pavement. They walked to the street corner and Grace started stretching her arms and legs, clearly exaggerating her movements, when Steve took a deep breath and spoke in a small and cautious voice, "Do you want to talk about what happened last night?"


	2. Chapter 2

-Flashback-

The night before Grace woke up screaming. Wriggling about in her sheets she sat up suddenly, in a cold sweat. She had had the same dream again and it made her stomach churn. It had all be so real. She heard heavy footsteps outside and a shaft of light flooded into the room as Steve rushed over to her shaking body, wrapping his arms around her, like he had done every night that week. When she first came to them, she hadn't felt like this. But as time went on, the nightmares had become worse and more vivid. Steve hated seeing her like this, the girl that always seemed so happy in the day, turned terrorised and vulnerable at night. She didn't deserve this, but part of him liked to be the one to comfort her. She quietly cried into his chest and he kissed the top of her head. Sniffing, Grace looked up at him so their faces were inches apart. Steve looked deep into her beautiful glassy eyes, the eyes which everyday he found himself lost in. Instinctively, he moved his head forward, softly placing his lips on hers. His first kiss since Peggy and he couldn't imagine it happening with anybody else. It felt so right. The girl was startled by this but slowly began to kiss back, closing her eyes. Suddenly she pulled away bringing her fingers to her lips and Steve quickly jumped from the bed, looking embarrassed. "Er...sorry" he muttered and hastily walked from the room, closing the door behind him.

-End of flashback-

* * *

Grace's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. She didn't want to answer the question. She didn't know how she felt about Steve; all that she knew was that she liked how their relationship was now, and she didn't want to do anything to ruin it. She had just got the life she had always wanted. A place that felt like home, a family. But what was the rule? Last in, first out. If she let herself fall for him and then messed things up, she would be the one to lose it all and be on her own. She couldn't let that happened, she never wanted to feel alone like that again and if that meant sacrificing whatever could be with her and Steve then so be it.

He was still waiting for an answer, expectance in his eyes, "Um...race you?" she said quickly as the lift doors slid open, sprinting down the street, away from him and away from the question. Rolling his eyes he ran after her, easily keeping up with her slower pace. Stopping to catch her breath Grace placed her hands on her knees, bending over slightly. Laughing, Steve turned and ran back to her.

"I think I need to cut down on the brownies," She stood up straight smiling half-heartedly "I'm pretty sure I saw grandmas and one-legged people passed me back there," joked Grace fanning her face.

Laughing, Steve said, "Don't be too hard on yourself. You'll be just as fast as me when I'm done with you."

"I'd rather stop time and get a head start I think," She said winking at the man who was chuckling softly at her.

"Don't you dare," He replied with a grin.

They both slowly jogged around, Steve virtually walking next to the girl who much preferred basking in the summer sun that was peeking through the sky-scrapers, a genuine smile on her lips. He gazed at her as they walked up the steps of Stark tower climbing into the lift.

"You know, I really love this city," She said, looking out of the window. It really felt like a home.

Steve nodded at her, "Yeah, it is the best city in the world. I grew up here and in Brooklyn, I have so many memories of this place." She said, feeling nostalgic as he too looked out of the city which had changed so much from what he knew as a kid.

"Of getting beat up?" She remembered reading his file about the boy he had once been. Though he had changed on the outside, he knew that Steve was still that same person. Kind, caring, brave.

He grinned slightly, "Yeah, of getting beat up. A lot."

"You were being brave Steve. You still are, everyday." She spoke with sincerity as she smiled genuinely.

The lift flew past floor after floor until they reached the floor of the gym. Grace frowned, expecting to be able to go and take a quick shower after her run.

Steve smirked, seeing her expression and said, "Come on! 30 minutes of training and then I promise to let you go."

"Says the super soldier who doesn't get tired," she groaned and he took her hand and led her to a punching bag. Grace fastened some small punching gloves around her hands, and Steve held the bag as she started to lightly punch it. "Hey I've got a joke," She announced, smiling slightly as she began to tire out. Steve nodded for her to go on, "What do you get if you cross Captain America with the Hulk?"

"I don't know," Relied the super soldier, cocking an eyebrow as she continued to hit the bag.

She winked, "The star-spangled Banner," Was the punchline, a grin on her lips. It widened as she earns a chuckle from the man, and she started punching harder, wanting to show Steve that she was strong.

"Come on Gratia!" He said, using her hero name which urged her on. Smirking she hit harder and harder and, surprisingly, Steve actually had to start pushing back on the bag to stop it from flying off it's hook. With one final punch the bag burst, spilling sand onto the floor. Both Grace and Steve looked down at the sand, astonished by her surprise outburst of strength.

"I…" She stared at the bag for a moment, "Does that happen a lot?" She asked and Steve looked up to see fear in her eyes. Her bottom lip was almost shaking by this point so he didn't say anything that would worry her further.

"See I told you that you were getting strong!" he smiled, omitting to say that there was a difference between humanly strong and splitting a punch bag. "It has been a long day" he finally said, trying hard not to overthink the broken punching bag, "Hit the showers kid."

Grace smiled at him and jogged towards the lift, leaving Steve to clear up the mess she had made. As she reached the lift and the metal doors closed behind her, she leant against the wall taking a deep breath. Where had that power come from, she thought. She took another deep breath. She didn't even know what she was capable of anymore. She was afraid. Afraid that she could hurt the people around her. Afraid that she had caused the destruction in her dream. Afraid of herself.

Steve bent over, gathering up the spilling bag when he heard a quiet laugh from over his shoulder.

"Getting a little worked up were we Capsicle," said Tony as he stopped on his way up from the garage, wiping oil off his hands with a cloth as he gestured towards the broken bag.

"Actually no," He said, standing up to address the billionaire, "Grace did this."

"Well that's new," said the older man, walking to inspect the mess.

The Captain fidgeted nervously, "Do you think this could be another power?" He asked, thinking worriedly about the girl he had developed a strong bond with.

"Could be" said Tony nonchalantly, "Maybe she used to be a boxer," He suggested jokingly and Steve gave him a look. Tony went on. "I wouldn't rule anything out with her. We have no idea what we're dealing with…best not to overthink it. She's a good kid, it's probably just adrenaline." He didn't want to let himself doubt the girl. She was his best friend, she could handle whatever came her way.

Steve thought about the possibilities. They barely knew anything about Grace's past, and he didn't want her to end up with more power than she could control. He tried to shake the negative thoughts that had crept into his mind and went to take a shower.

* * *

Getting out of the lift, Grace walked into her room to see Steve sitting on her bed. How had he got up there so quickly? The expression on his face was unreadable as he got up abruptly when she walked in.

"What are you doing in here?" she said sharply, annoyance evident on her face but it softened when she saw his now worried expression.

"Come with me quickly," he said, roughly grabbing her hand and pulling her back into the lift at the end of the corridor.

"Where are we going? What's happened?" She questioned worriedly as his grip on her hand tightened. As the lift glided to the bottom floor he grabbed her hand pulling her towards the front door of the foyer. As they did so, they bumped into Dr Banner and Steve gave him a dark look. Pushing past him, Steve dragged her to the pavement where a black van pulled up next to them. His eyes were not the brilliant blue she knew and she immediately tugged her hand away from his grip.

"Tell me what is going on," she shouted at him, trying to stay as calm as she could. Suddenly a blue light surrounded his body and his features suddenly changed into that of a woman she had never seen before.

"What the-" whispered Grace as she felt a sharp stabbing in her side. Her vision immediately blurred and her whole body swayed slightly, the world around her spinning.

"My name is Rebecca," the woman's voice echoed through her head as she emptied the contents of the syringe into Grace's body, and two men carried her into the back of the van. Getting into the passenger seat the woman drove away.

* * *

Bruce Banner creased his eyebrows together as Steve rushed through the front doors of Stark tower, pulling Grace behind him. His eyes followed them as he looked out of the window of the foyer, and he saw ' Steve' transform into someone else, a woman. He only had a moment to mull in his bewilderment before seeing two large men shove Grace into a black van. He sprinted to the lift and pushed the button for the top floor, his breathing quickening. He willed himself not to hulk out right now. He needed to help Grace and that was not the route he wanted to go down.

* * *

Steve pushed his hand through his damp hair and stepped out of his bathroom. The shower had really calmed him down, and he began to think that Grace was going to be okay. Of course, she was. They all knew how strong she was, but she just didn't see it. They needed her more than she knew.

Natasha Romanov sauntered passed his room but stopped and looked at him with a puzzled look, "Didn't you just go in Grace's room?" She questioned, confused as to how he could be in two places at once.

He looked back at her, also confused and said, "No. I went to the gym with her then took a shower."

Just then, the lift opened with a ding and Bruce leaped out telling the two Avengers what he had seen. He was out of breath, still in shock. Quickly Steve threw on some clothes and ran back to the living room where all the Avengers had now gathered. Each looked around at each other, a million thoughts running through there minds. This had never happened before to anyone on the team, and they had no idea what they were dealing with and why Grace had even been taken. She had only been part of the team for a short time, less than a year, but she had easily found her way into their hearts. Their worlds would fall apart if anything happened to her.

"What are we going to do?" Said Natasha, looking out of the window, almost looking for the van containing her friend. She should have protected her, Natasha thought to herself, she should have been there to watch out for her just as the blonde did every day.

Bruce was sitting on the plush sofa with his head in his hands, "I should have done something. I should have known it wasn't Steve," he muttered, guilt washing over him.

Thor looked over to him, placing his strong hand on the man's shoulder, "You are not to blame Banner. Grace will be found," He said reassuringly with a confidence that made Bruce have hope.

Steve walked to Grace's piano resting his hand on a key, his eyes saddened as the note rang out, 'There is no point moping around,' He thought and snapped into action.

"Right. Tony, get Jarvis to check the security footage from the camera at the front of the building. With any luck, it will show a number plate and the kidnappers. Look for any distinctive logos or patterns on the vehicle or on the clothes of the people." He added, thinking back to his time fighting HYDRA. "When you find the number plate, track it and also track Grace's phone. If it hasn't been destroyed we should be able to find it. Natasha, Clint, check out the woman's face, we might have encountered her before and she might be on the S.H.E.I.L.D database, if not that then the index. Go." He said as the team sprung into action, Tony conversing with his computer system Jarvis and clicking around on numerous computer screens with Dr. Banner in tow. Natasha and Clint had sat down in front of a monitor, searching the database for the face of the kidnapper.

Steve paced around the large room, in a quiet state of panic. He walked over to the computer screen and watched the kidnapping clip. He was surprised to see himself pulling Grace to the pavement and his stomach turned: he would never be that rough with Grace. Suddenly the person transformed into a woman. She said something inaudible as Grace was injected with some kind of knock-out serum.

"Wait. Go back," said Thor from next to Steve and the clip was rewinded to the part where 'Steve' changed into the menacing woman.

"Alter-ego Cap?" Asked Tony, trying to make the best of a bad situation but his smirk dropped when Steve death-glared him.

"I have seen this before" muttered Thor, squinted his eyes slightly.

"An Asgardian?" Asked Bruce, taking his glasses off.

"92% match" yelled Natasha from behind a computer. The other Avengers crowded around the monitor which contained a S.H.E.I.L.D file.

"Rebecca Thorne" said Clint pointing at the file. "She can transform herself to look like anyone she wants."

"Much like Loki." Thor mused for a moment, raking his brain to think why the image looked familiar. Then he noticed the unnatural blue glow of the woman's iris.

"She's good, worked with Coulson for a bit. She was put on the index but before that she was just an agent," She read further, "She was dismissed from S.H.E.I.L.D after what happened in New York due to mental instability." she finished, clicking on an official image of the woman.

"But why does she want Grace?" Said Steve, puzzled.

"I don't think it is she who wants Grace," said Thor, zooming in the image to her unnaturally blue eyes. Clint shivered, remembering when he had possessed those eyes. Thor knew his assumptions had been correct, and he shuddered. He didn't even know what his brother was capable of anymore but he knew one thing. He needed to get Grace back and get Loki back to Asgard.

"Loki." Murmured Steve. Loki was unforgiving and mischievous and the pain of having left Grace alone, having not been there to protect her, intensified: he feared the worse.


	3. Chapter 3

When Grace awoke she was lying on the floor, a perpetual humming sounding around her as if she was close to a machine. The floor was vibrating and jolted every so often, and the area was dimly lit by the glow of computer screens and flickering lights. She was in the hold of a plane, enclosed in some sort of cell like an animal. Kidnapped, again. She lifted her weakened body into a sitting position, wrapping her arms around her legs partly in fear and also because of the chilled air which flowed through her prison-like surroundings. She shivered as she felt the cold hit her, as well as the realisation that she was in trouble. Big trouble. What had happened? How did she get here?

Her eyes traced over the room, resting on a disinterested guard that stood watch across from her, "Excuse me," she croaked, her eyes drooping from fatigue and her mind still hazy. The man didn't move. She cleared her throat and tried again, "Excuse me?" She said more distinctly. This time the guard looked at her, his bright blue eyes sending an unpleasant feeling to the pit of her stomach. They looked familiar. Suddenly she heard footsteps echoing through the cave and a pair of boots came into view. She suddenly remembered where she had seen those eyes. Looking up at the owner of the boots she saw a face she knew well. In fact, she had dreamed about him almost every night for weeks.

"Loki," she breathed, sliding away slightly from where he towered over her cell. Her ocean blue eyes were wide with unease, though she tried desperately to calm her quivering features. He had caused so much harm, she didn't know what he would do or what he wanted with her.

He scoffed slightly and said, "I don't think we were properly acquainted the last time we crossed paths," She had helped the Avengers fight him in New York and then SHIELD had told her that he had just disappeared. And now here he was again.

"I…I don't know who you are," She told him, trying to play the amnesia card. He wasn't convinced.

"Oh come now, Grace," He smirked, laughing darkly, "You remember me as well as I remember you. The blonde knight in shining armour. You really put a dent in my plans in New York," He told her and she bit her lip, "Not this time," He stated.

"What are you going to do?" She whispered, thinking of what he had tried to do last time. If he was going to try and take over the world again, the Avengers might need her. He could hurt them or worse.

"You'll find out soon enough," he replied a dark look in his eyes. Opening the door to the cell, he walked closer to her and gestured to one of his guards. One walked towards her and roughly grabbed her arms and pulled her to her feet. She yelled in protest, thinking back to when she had been with the Circle. Were men so convinced that she was incapable of standing up by herself? She glared as the man walked back to his post, her body beginning to shiver once more as a rush of cold air hit her. She wrapped her arms around her body as Loki moved closer to her, putting his hand on her soft cheek. She flinched her head to the side to move away but he just grabbed her harder, squeezing her cheeks together painfully.

He scoffed, "You can't fight me Grace." He told her, "You may have powers that are unmatched in my world or yours, but it is your will that betrays you. You follow those people you call friends, blindly taking orders while they lead you on a path you haven't chosen," As he spoke, Grace felt an anger she couldn't remember feeling so strongly.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She shrugged his hands away from her, stepping back, "You don't know me at all, who are you to tell me who I am?" She folded her arms across her body.

"Somebody who's come to feel the same way," He replied and she unfolded her arms, taking a deep breath before he continued, "That's all you need to know about me," He said simply, maintaining an air of mystery about him. There was a sudden glint of sadness in his eyes which made Grace sympathise with him slightly. Maybe he was lonely.

She spoke softly in reply, "You don't have to be violent to get power. You're Thor's brother, I'm sure if you just spoke to him about how you feel…"

"Thor is not my brother by blood," He muttered, though more to himself than anything else, he seemed to want to quickly change the subject. He smirked once more, "But I've got you now. I need nobody else in the world but somebody to lead it with," He told her, and she might have mistaken him for romantic had she not been forced into a prison cell on a moving aircraft by him, "Somewhere in you there are feelings for me. From the moment I saw you I-"

"You just decided that you had feelings for someone you just met? You don't even know me!" She yelled. Their eyes had barely met in New York and now he was professing that they had feelings for each other, "You are shallow and manipulative. All you want is power, and you don't care who dies to get it." Her anger for him had returned. He was trying to manipulate her and it wouldn't work, "You threatened my home. For that, I will never forgive you." She spat at him.

His expression turned serious, clearly frustrated, "You are controlled by what you've been told is right."

"You think I'm stupid? That I'll blindly follow you just because you spin some crap about wanting me to rule at your side?"

"You're not stupid, Grace. In fact, I hear you're quite intelligent."

"Your source is reliable. So considering that we've established that I know stuff and you clearly don't, why don't you let me go on my way and…"

"Enough! I do not dish out my affection lightly, but you are wearing my patience thin. If you say another word on this then I'll…"

"You'll what?"

"You'll see things my way soon enough." It sounded like a threat, and she knew he had the sceptre. What if he controlled her like he did to Clint? She had to play him, do whatever it took to survive and get home.

* * *

Steve stared gloomily at the plate of food in front of him as he sat in the kitchen, the others doing what they could to find their friend. How could he even think of eating when Grace was missing. It was his fault, he knew it was. Loki could be controlling her at that very moment, getting her to do whatever he wanted, a thought that made him shudder.

"Come on Capsicle: you have got to eat," Tony said, nudging his comrade in the ribs as he joined him.

"Not hungry." Steve blankly responded as the other man sat next to him.

"Come on, you haven't eaten in days. If you don't get any nutrients you won't be able to fight Loki and get her back." Bruce said with a smile, like a strict parent telling their child to eat their greens.

Steve sighed knowing that they were right, picking up a fork and stabbing the mixed vegetable with a dangerous amount of vigour. The geniuses nodded their heads in approval as Steve took a few bites. The man ate but he still felt like a part of him was missing. He had been so out of it, the whole universe seemed to be out of whack. The guys of the team desperately tried to cheer him up and keep the super soldier positive but to no avail. The team needed to get her back, and fast.

"Wait, this jet left New York last night," Natasha stated, pointing to a vast map of the world's airspace, "It's due to land in Paris this evening," She looked around at the others.

"Could be Loki…" Clint mused.

"Private jet, conspicuous, expensive. Just his style," Tony added, "I'll contact Coulson and get the Quinjet flown around. Lift off in 10," He told them, and the whole team flew into action.

"Sir," The low voice of one of the guards woke Grace up from where she was sitting on the floor of her cell. She hadn't realised Loki had been in the hold with her, but as she opened her eyes she saw him staring. He turned to his guard and the two moved over to the computer screens, watching a plane being tracked over the Atlantic, "They're heading in our direction."

Loki slammed his fist down on the metal table, creating a loud bang that echoed through the hold and made Grace flinch. He quickly strode over to Grace's cell, "Did you contact them, tell them where we are going?" He spat at her, his eyes alight with rage.

"I don't even know. I'm stuck in here, how on earth could I contact them," She replied relatively calmly. No need to cause him to be angrier.

"I could blast them out of the sky in seconds, pick them off one by one if I wanted to." He replied and she held her breath. If he killed them she wouldn't want to live anymore. "But I haven't…" he continued and she looked up at him, "They're alive because of you."

"Why do you want to fight them?" She asked in almost a whisper.

He shook his head, "They were lucky last time. Now, I hold true power…and without you to help them they can do nothing but watch this Earth turn to ruins."

She creased her eyebrows together. How could somebody be that hateful, "What good will come of that?"

"This isn't about good and bad, Grace." He told her solemnly.

She shook her head, scoffing incredulously, "You're just saying that because you can't justify all you've done."

"If you keep disagreeing with me, Grace, then your friends might just make it back home in boxes." He replied and she shrank back. She couldn't imagine a life without her friends, they were her family really. They were all she knew, and Loki was threatening that.

* * *

In minutes, the team had loaded onto a high-speed Quinjet en-route to France. Walking around the jet that was piloted by Natasha and Clint, Tony opened a bag of salted nuts and plopped down in a metal chair next to Thor and opposite Steve.

"Don't look so worried Captain. Nut?" He said, an optimistic grin appearing on his face. Steve politely nodded, taking a nut from the silver bag. The salty taste that was left in his mouth made him feel sick, on top of the nerves which fluttered around his stomach.

"Grace will be found. Any soul on this aircraft would lay down their life for her. Loki may be the devil but if he wanted her dead, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of kidnapping her. We all know she'd be more valuable alive," said Thor, looking out at the vast blue sea that lay below them.

Steve shook his head, "It is my fault. I should never have left her alone." He thought aloud.

Thor looked at him reassuringly, "You are not to blame-" He began before Steve interrupted.

"I love her and I didn't protect her." Steve revealed, "If she is dead she will never know how I feel." He said, standing up and disappearing into the onboard toilet. Everyone looked at the super soldier in amazement. He had always been so calm and collected but losing Grace had made him the opposite.

Steve could only imagine what Loki had in store for Grace. She had so much power, so many things that could make her dangerous in the wrong hands. He placed his hands under the cool, running water and let his palm fill up and splash the skin of his face. Beads of water ran down his face and neck until he wiped them away, taking a deep breath to calm himself and clear his mind. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, smiling as he saw the picture of him and Grace that he had tucked inside. Slowly, he pulled it out to see it more clearly and smiled happily as he remembered the day it had been taken.

-Flashback-

Captain Fury strolled into the large control room of the helicarrier and looked at his team of Avengers. He had been so unsure about all this, but now the moment had come he knew it was the right thing to do. That girl, the girl who he had fought so hard to protect, deserved to be with people she could relate to. People that could protect her, and be her family.

"So why exactly are we here? I had to cancel a flight to Russia..." started Natasha but she trailed off when Fury glared at her with his one good eye. She rolled her eyes, guessing that it was something important, and leant against a worktop.

"Today is a day of new beginnings. New York was a success and I do not doubt that it will be one of many" he said, looking to each Avenger. Thor, the demigod, Tony Stark, the billionaire, Clint Barton, a trained assassin that had been to hell and back at the hands of Loki, Natasha Romanov, the woman that could single-handedly hold the world on her shoulders, Bruce Banner, the genius with a secret, and Steve Rodgers, the Captain. They were a great team, but they needed something to hold them together. "You all are unique in your own way, and all of you have special-" he paused, "-abilities. Today the team of Avengers changes from a team of six to a team of seven." he announced. Looking around at each other the Avengers were unsure of this. They had a good thing going: they were all working well together, finally getting along: a new person could ruin everything, and what if she was just another copied agent?

"Maybe that's not the best idea, Sir, we don't need anyone else," Clint said, raising his eyebrows a little in concern.

"Maybe you do," they heard a voice behind them to see that a group of S.H.E.I.L.D agents had walked in, surrounding a beautiful blonde-haired girl. Her eyes flickered around the room nervously. She didn't know what to think. She had hazy memories of New York but she remembered seeing each of these faces clearly.

"This here is Grace." Fury continued, smiling fondly at the girl, "You might recognise her." She nervously smiled back, then looked to her new teammates.

The team immediately recognised her and Natasha leapt to hug her friend; her only female friend at that. Romanov had been requested by Fury to help train Grace when she was first taken in, and after the girl had been taken by the Circle, Natasha had been there for her. A part of her had hoped that the young girl would be able to have freedom and live outside of the world that had ruined her own, but maybe this was her chance to be with people that really cared about her. She deserved that, at least.

"Sorry," Natasha muttered, smiling at the girl as she pulled away from the embrace.

"For what?" Grace asked back, creasing her eyebrows together. She finally felt somewhere she belonged.

"For getting you dragged into this" she whispered, hugging the girl again then pulling away to let the rest of the team address her.

"Good to see you again, blondie," said Tony, smirking at the girl as she stretches out her hand for him to shake. He thought better of it and pulled the girl into a tight hug while she giggled softly into his shoulder. They had all wondered what had happened to her since New York, even though they knew she would have needed medical attention soon after. SHIELD had kept them in the dark for so long, they had started to think that nothing would become of the mystery girl who had had their backs against Loki. Each Avenger greeted her, some shaking her hand and some hugging her until one remained.

"Hello, Captain." She said, blushing as the man stood in front of her. He really was handsome, she thought. The most handsome man she had ever seen, but that was not what drew her to him.

"You don't need to call me that. Call me Steve." He said, reaching for her had and kissing it lightly as Tony rolled his eyes from the other side of the room.

Grace cleared her voice and said, "I never..er...thanked you...for saving my life." She said quietly in almost a whisper. She didn't know what it was about this man that made her lose her nerve, made her speechless, breathless.

He nodded at her politely, trying and failing to suppress the grin that was forming on his lips, "And you. Normally it is me saving others but...it is nice to know that someone is looking out for me too. Thank you, Grace." He smiled warmly.

Agent Coulson strode into the room, holding a camera. "Picture with the new recruit!" he said, smiling and winking at the girl.

-End of flashback-

* * *

Grace felt the plane jolt and begin to lower in the sky. She could feel every movement of the engine, mapping out its motors in her mind to pass the time. Tony had taught her so much, she was sure that a Quinjet could catch up to such a plane in a few hours. Maybe there was some hope. She had to work out what angle she would play with Loki. He obviously felt something for her, for whatever reason, so she could easily play him. She shook her head, recoiling at the cruelty of such a plan. Maybe she could get him to trust her, if she could only understand him, then perhaps she could talk him out of his plan. Besides, to pretend to love him would feel like a betrayal to somebody else in her life if she was with Loki, somebody she had grown to care for more than she could understand…Why could she not get Steve out of her mind?

"We'll be landing soon." The sound of Loki's voice broke her from her thoughts and she looked up at him, frowning. He locked his jaw, his sceptre rising until it was pointed towards her.

"No. Please." She held her hands up in a submissive stance, her eyes pleading with him, "You don't need to use that." She told him. He'd been so angry before, "I'm not going to fight you, I want to keep my friends safe."

He moved the staff back, "Wise choice."

The two watched each other shift with the movement of the plan before Grace finally broke the silence, "Can you at least tell me why you're keeping me here?"

"I need…" He almost stopped himself, but continued anyway with a small smirk, "I suppose I need you."

"Why?" She asked, but she didn't really expect an answer. He could never justify why he was doing, "Why are you doing all of this?"

"My whole life has been spent in the shadows. Unappreciated, unacknowledged. I only wish to be seen." He told her, showing her a more human side of him than any other she had seen.

"I can see you…" She told him and he looked up at her, "And I know that you don't have to do this, Loki. Please."

He shook his head, locking his jaw, "I don't have to listen to you."

"No, you don't. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't." She continued, speaking softly to him.

His eyes flickered back to her's for a second before he sighed, unlocking the door to the cell, "Come up with me, you've been in here long enough," He muttered, walking into the cell and holding out his hand to her.

She looked at it apprehensively before taking it, letting him pull her to her feet, "Thanks," She replied, following him up the steps to the opulent main cabin on the jet.

"You must be hungry," He said, handing her a bag of crisps.

"Uh, thanks. Yeah, I am," She took the bag from him. She'd only just realised she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning and was actually ravenous, feeling as if she could eat a horse rather than a packet of salt and vinegar crisps. But it was the thought that counted. The plane slowly made it's decent, but Grace had no idea what would happen next.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve could only imagine what Loki had in store for Grace. She had so much power, so many things that could make her dangerous in the wrong hands. He placed his hands under the cool, running water and let his palm fill up and splash the skin of his face. Beads of water ran down his face and neck until he wiped them away, taking a deep breath to calm himself and clear his mind. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, smiling as he saw the picture of him and Grace that he had tucked inside. Slowly, he pulled it out to see it more clearly and smiled happily as he remembered the day it had been taken.

-Flashback-

Captain Fury strolled into the large control room of the helicarrier and looked at his team of Avengers. He had been so unsure about all this, but now the moment had come he knew it was the right thing to do. That girl, the girl who he had fought so hard to protect, deserved to be with people she could relate to. People that could protect her, and be her family.

"So why exactly are we here? I had to cancel a flight to Russia..." started Natasha but she trailed off when Fury glared at her with his one good eye. She rolled her eyes, guessing that it was something important, and leant against a worktop.

"Today is a day of new beginnings. New York was a success and I do not doubt that it will be one of many" he said, looking to each Avenger. Thor, the demigod, Tony Stark, the billionaire, Clint Barton, a trained assassin that had been to hell and back at the hands of Loki, Natasha Romanov, the woman that could single-handedly hold the world on her shoulders, Bruce Banner, the genius with a secret, and Steve Rodgers, the Captain. They were a great team, but they needed something to hold them together. "You all are unique in your own way, and all of you have special-" he paused, "-abilities. Today the team of Avengers changes from a team of six to a team of seven." he announced. Looking around at each other the Avengers were unsure of this. They had a good thing going: they were all working well together, finally getting along: a new person could ruin everything, and what if she was just another copied agent?

"Maybe that's not the best ideas, Sir, we don't need anyone else," Clint said, raising his eyebrows a little in concern.

"Maybe you do," they heard a voice behind them to see that a group of S.H.E.I.L.D agents had walked in, surrounding a beautiful blonde-haired girl. Her eyes flickered around the room nervously. She didn't know what to think. She had hazy memories of New York but she remembered seeing each of these faces clearly.

"This here is Grace." Fury continued, smiling fondly at the girl, "You might recognise her." She nervously smiled back, then looked at her new teammates.

The team immediately recognised her and Natasha leapt to hug her friend; her only female friend at that. Romanov had been requested by Fury to help train Grace when she was first taken in, and after the girl had been taken by the Circle, Natasha had been there for her. A part of her had hoped that the young girl would be able to have freedom and live outside of the world that had ruined her own, but maybe this was her chance to be with people that really cared about her. She deserved that, at least.

"Sorry," Natasha muttered, smiling at the girl as she pulled away from the embrace.

"For what?" Grace asked back, creasing her eyebrows together. She finally felt somewhere she belonged.

"...For getting you dragged into this," she whispered, hugging the girl again then pulling away to let the rest of the team address her.

"Good to see you again, blondie," said Tony, smirking at the girl as she stretches out her hand for him to shake. He thought better of it and pulled the girl into a tight hug while she giggled softly into his shoulder. They had all wondered what had happened to her since New York, even though they knew she would have needed medical attention soon after. SHIELD had kept them in the dark for so long, they had started to think that nothing would become of the mystery girl who had had their backs against Loki. Each Avenger greeted her, some shaking her hand and some hugging her until one remained.

"Hello, Captain." She said, blushing as the man stood in front of her. He really was handsome, she thought. The most handsome man she had ever seen, but that was not what drew her to him.

"You don't need to call me that. Call me Steve." He said, reaching for her had and kissing it lightly as Tony rolled his eyes from the other side of the room.

Grace cleared her voice and said, "I never..er...thanked you...for saving my life." She said quietly in almost a whisper. She didn't know what it was about this man that made her lose her nerve, made her speechless, breathless.

He nodded at her politely, trying and failing to suppress the grin that was forming on his lips, "And you. Normally it is me saving others but...it is nice to know that someone is looking out for me too. Thank you, Grace." He smiled warmly.

Agent Coulson strode into the room, holding a camera. "Picture with the new recruit," he said, smiling and winking at the girl.

-End of flashback-

* * *

The air was warm as Grace got off the plane. Multiple opportunities to try and escape arrived and passed her by, but what was the point really? Whilst he had that staff he would only control her or kill her and then she'd never been able to help her friends. At some point, Loki had changed out of his Asgardian clothes into a smart shirt and trousers, blending into the smart crowd of a city Grace didn't recognise. Loki had finally come to his senses, after some eyelash-batting, and she had convinced him to buy her some crêpes. They must be in France.

The two of them walked down the street, and any innocent passer-by might have mistaken them for two normal people. They couldn't have been further from that, but it was nice to pretend. The more Grace spoke to him, the more she could feel herself falling into the trap. He was charming and eloquent and had opened up to her. She could see who he was underneath his tough exterior, but it would have been naive to think that he could let it go and be good. Still, she found herself opening up to him in ways that she couldn't with the others. They were both trying to find their place in the universe. They had moved on to talking about their past as they walked along the Seine, finishing their sweet desserts.

"So you remember nothing at all? Of the life you once led? The family you left behind," Loki pressed, enjoying discovering more about this girl.

"Nothing at all." She shrugged, "I could have been anybody and all I have to show for it is my name…" She paused, biting her lip, "…And maybe…" She hesitated but he only urged her to continued.

"What?" He smiled up at her, forgetting that he wasn't meant to. He was supposed to keep his guard up at all times, but it was so difficult to do so around Grace.

"I think I remember my birthday," She admitted to him bashfully.

He grinned, "When is it?" The two of them stopped to look out over the beautiful river, the spring sun shimmering along the water.

She tiled her head, the two of them leaning on the wall, "I don't know how I just…know." She took a deep breath, "June 3rd."

He nodded, remembering that date, "I know I can't begin to relate my own experiences to yours…but when I found out that my mother and father were not really my own…I didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't know where my place in Asgard was," He told her, the words articulating feelings he had never shared with anybody.

"Like a stranger in your own body," She knew how he felt. She loved the Avengers like her own family, but she was still discovering who she was and who she wanted to be.

"Yes, yes exactly." He replied, smiling slightly at her and taking a final bite out of his crepe, "That really was exquisite. I have tasted nothing like it in Asgard," He told her.

She smiled widely, "You've been missing out. Although, Asgard seems like a wonderful place," She went on, thinking of the breathtaking descriptions she had had from both Thor and Loki of the place.

He nodded, "It's like no place I've seen on Earth. Beautiful, really." He told her wistfully, wishing he could go back. He'd done so much though, he wasn't sure he ever could.

She fiddled with the ring on the middle finger of her left hand, "Do you think you'll ever go back?"

He shook his head, "I have quite the bounty on my head over there. My father…" Odin was not really his father, but he couldn't bring himself to correct himself, "He would never forgive me. I'm not a good person…"

She stopped in front of him, forcing him to stop walking and look up at her, "You're not a bad person, not really. Just a good one with bad behaviour," She told him with a small smile. For a moment he just stared at her, his lips curling up into a smile. For some reason, she saw good in him and believed in him, despite everything he'd done. "You know maybe I…" Before she could finish she felt somebody grab her roughly and a sharp pain of a needle piercing the skin of her lower back. In an instant, her body felt numb and her mind clouded to the point where she couldn't tell whether it was Loki or somebody else who had grabbed her. She clawed desperately for consciousness but as far as she could see she was falling. Before she passed out she felt two hands catch her, then the blackness descended.

* * *

The plane jolted, waking Steve up as they entered French airspace. He looked out at the beautiful city that he had never been to before. The city of love. He had hoped to take Grace there someday.

"We found her," Bruce told him, handing him a tablet. A video feed flashed up of Grace outside the Louvre. The shimmering lights of the building shone onto the lit courtyard and people glided around in formal attire, Grace is one of them. Steve smiled at the picture and couldn't help noticing how beautiful she looked in a dress.

"Alright for some," Clint commented over the Captains shoulder with a scoff, standing up with the rest of the Avengers.

"Suit up Captain," said Tony, bringing up a live security feed of the Louvre on his computer screen, which showed Grace on the arm of Loki. Steve murmured something under his breath then pulled on his uniform, and grabbed his shield. The jet loomed over the grand museum and Tony, now in his Iron Man suit, quickly flew out the back of the open aircraft. Steve looked at the others, rolling his eyes at Tony's arrogance and impulsiveness. He grabbed a parachute and, after strapping it to his back, leapt from the quinjet.

On the ground, Loki had a toothy grin on his face. He was dressed in a suit, covered by a long jacket and a scarf, and in his hand, he held his sceptre in the form of a cane. He cocked an eyebrow at the girl on his arm, Grace laughing at something he had just said. They glided into the formal party that was being held in and around the larger pyramid in the courtyard of the grand museum. He whispered something in her ear and she laughed once more, picking up a glass of champagne from one of the waiter's trays.

Suddenly, Loki started attacking guards with his sceptre, hitting anyone who got in his way. The blonde woman smiled from where she was standing, sipping champagne as if all of this was normal. He raced towards a man he recognised as the museum curator and grabbed him by the shoulders, dragging him into the pyramid.

Suddenly a thud and a burst of light entered the area as Iron Man landed on the stone ground.

"Man, this guy has a thing for this kind of party," he joked, flying towards the pyramid door. The party guests looked around once more to see Captain America run towards the door after his teammate , but he stopped in his tracks as he saw a face he had missed.

"Grace," he called running over to her.

The woman smiled and said "think again" with a cruel smirk. Suddenly she wiped her legs around, knocking Steve to the floor.

"Rebecca." He growled, as she took another swing at him but this time he was ready and blocked each of her punches.

"You wouldn't hit a girl, would you?" She teased, still using Grace's voice, as he held her in a headlock. Loosing his concentration, Steve loosened his grip, letting her move back and punch his hard in the stomach.

"You have no idea what I can-" she began but was cut off as an arrow suctioned to her forehead, knocking her out, and she fell to the floor, her features changed into that of Rebecca. Steve glanced back at Clint, sighing as the hope of seeing Grace left his mind and then he ran to the glass building to help his friend.

He saw Loki, now in his green robes, barely fighting his team mate off as they shot things at each other.

"You mortals are so weak." He spat as Steve ran into the room. "Running to protect your precious friend. Maybe she wants to be with me instead of you dull creatures. I am a God. You cannot beat me again."

Steve leapt towards him, knocking him to his feet and his cane out of his hand. Spinning around to fight Loki, Steve swung for the god but his fist glided through a virtual image and he stumbled forward. The real Loki chuckled darkly, beginning to run through the maze-like museum, obviously trying to find something or someone. He ran to a large door which was slightly ajar, though it looked like it had once been heavily locked. Steve managed to slip through the door just before it closed. Suddenly he stopped, unaware of where he was or where Loki was as he looked out over the maze-like area. His eyes flicked to his left as he felt a presence watching him. He saw a flash of a person and followed the figure through the archives. Swinging around a corner he blocked a punch that had swung his way. His attacker pushed at his hand with a strength that Steve had not anticipated and the attacker knocked him to the floor before sprinting away. He slowly got up, looking around at the warehouse-like archives. As he kept walking, he saw a space on a shelf where something had been. It had been moved recently as there was an outline of dust where the object had been. He moved forward to inspect the shelf further but felt something hard under his boot. Looking down he saw a ring. Grace's ring.


	5. Chapter 5

Grace leapt bolt upright in a large plush bed, looking around to see Loki standing in the doorway, a bemused look on his features.

"Y-you…" She tried desperately to remember what had happened since she'd passed out. Nothing. Yet again, her memory had let her down.

"Good, you're awake," Loki said with a smile, moving to sit down next to her on the bed. He was sitting close to her, too close for comfort.

"What happened last night?" She asked and yet again she was met with a smirk from the Asgardian.

He cocked an eyebrow, "You hit your head, I brought you here."

"You're lying. We were talking and somebody grabbed me. My clothes are crumpled on the floor and there's dirt on my shoes, and there is no way a minor concussion would knock me out for…" she glanced at the clock and her eyes widened in shock, "13 hours…"

"You're observant…clever." He replied, almost proudly. She didn't want him to be proud of her. He shifted slightly, seemingly hesitant to tell her the truth, before caving, "Alright. I needed you to retrieve something and thought you might need some persuading…"

Her eyes narrowed, "You drugged me?"

"It was necessary," He shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever you say." She snapped quickly, speaking through gritted teeth

He smiled slightly, his hands creeping along on soft bedsheets, the fabric winding between his fingers, "After last night…I thought we were making progress." His hand had laid to rest on her thigh through the sheets.

"Last night? I don't even remember what-" Before she could finish his lips pressed firmly onto her's. She could almost remember this happening before, maybe they had kissed last night. She'd had no control over her actions, who knows what she'd done with him or for him.

"That happened quite a lot," He breathed, confirming her suspicion.

"I might just remember that," She replied, and this seemed to please him because he smiled.

"Get dressed, we've got a long day ahead of us," He commanded.

As he shut the door with a click, she leapt from the bed, looking over to the window to see if there was a way out. The luxurious Parisian streets stretched out before her and Notre Dame was just in view. Paris? Since when was she in Paris? They were high up in a hotel or apartment, too high to jump out the window and survive. She wrung her hands, feeling that her ring was not on her finger. Suddenly her vision was taken over as she started to remember what had happened last night. Perhaps the drug was leaving her system, or perhaps her mind was being kind. They had gone to the Louvre and she had taken a box from the archives. She didn't know what was in it but she knew that Loki wanted it. She remembered fighting with someone, but everything had happened so quickly she did not catch their face. Memories of her and Loki kissing floated through her mind and she shuddered, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. Good, she thought. Kissing and nothing more. Her mind then went to the box. There must have been something powerful and dangerous in it, or Loki wouldn't have needed to get it so urgently. She could only imagine the trouble she could cause in those periods of blackness, where she was acting only on orders, and no inhibitions and emotions.

Pulling some jeans and a top from the fully-stocked cupboard, she got dressed. The back of her head was bruised and ached, and her knuckled and hands were battered and scratched. She must have put up a fight for something. Her legs ached as if she'd been running and there were hand-shaped bruises on her waist where Loki had been too rough with her the night before. She took a deep breath as anger rose within her. Whatever drug he had used, it must have made her do whatever he said.

She brushed her golden hair and walked out of the opulent room. They were staying in a grand French apartment, which overlooked the river. In the main living room, she saw Loki sitting on a large sofa, a box in his hands. Guards stood around the apartment watching her as she entered the room.

"What's in the box?" She asked, and her presence must have surprised him because he quickly shut the box, pressing a button on top so it locked with a click, asking for a four digit code.

"None of your concern," He slammed it on the table, "At least not yet."

"Oh yeah?" She replied, smiling cheekily at him and sitting down next to him, "You're sure that isn't your top secret weapon to single-handedly cause the destruction of Earth and life as we know it, protected only by a four-digit code?"

"One which you will never guess," He told her matter-of-factly, getting up from the sofa and walking towards another room. As he turned his back to her she picked up the box, her mind running at a million miles an hour to think of a combination. The best attempt she could offer was Thor's birthday, to no avail. "You'll never get it," Loki called, smirking to himself as he left the room.

She laughed slightly and looked around, waiting a moment before looking up at the two muscular guards who's piercing stares had been burning a hole in her face. Loki had certainly upped his human security detail, although he didn't have an alien army helping him this time. She got up and looked out of the window, gaging where she was and where the secret SHIELD facility was located. She needed an excuse to leave.

She walked over to where Loki had gone and saw he was dressing, about to tuck in and button up a smart shirt to blend in with the people of Paris. She blushed and sheepishly turned around, muttering an apology.

He laughed to himself, finishing buttoning up his shirt and walking over to her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck before he wrapped his arms around her waist, "What can I do for you?" He whispered sensually into her ear.

"I'm hungry," She complained, turning him around and wrapping her arms around his neck, "I'm going to get some breakfast," She told him, beginning to pull away.

"No you're not," He grabbed her arm and she quickly yanked it away from him.

"Yes, I am. I'm bored and hungry and want to go for a walk."

"I need you here," He grumbled shortly, growing tired of her disobedience.

"You don't need me for anything,"

"I need you more than you know," He told her softly, but she didn't believe him. She was suffocating there, knowing that she was a prisoner and that he was going to hurt everything she knew.

She retorted quickly, "You want me here so I'm not helping the Avengers take you down again." She took a deep sigh, "They're headed for disaster, at least let me take a walk to clear my head."

"I gave you my word no harm would come to them." He told her, taking her hand and squeezing it sympathetically. she could almost believe him, "You're important to me…so I'll let you go and get some breakfast." He smiled at her softly, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek, "It would be a crime not to see this pretty little city."

She smiled back at him, forgetting for a second why she couldn't love him, "Thank you."

"Follow her," ordered Loki to a guard, looking back at her with a smile. She smiled back, before walking out into the corridor. Before the guard left, Loki caught his arm, standing up, "If she doesn't co-operate, you know what to do." He muttered darkly.

* * *

After a moment in the lift with the guard, Grace sprung into action, punching the guard hard in the face then kneeing him in the groin, making him double up in pain. As the lift opened on the ground floor she ran as fast as she could from the building, but the guard was in quick pursuit of her. He grabbed the hem of her shirt, ripping it slightly, then reached for her ankle. He succeeded in tripping her up, where she scraped her hands and created a new cut on her face that was now bleeding down her cheek. However, she scrambled up from the floor, ignoring any pain her body felt. After running for a moment, she jolted to a stop abruptly. Placing her hand on her chest to calm herself, she took a deep breath in and everything around her stopped. People in mid-step stood stationary, leaves that had been blowing in the wind stood still in mid-air, and the guard was right behind her, an angry glare on his face as he stood, frozen in place. She looked at him cheekily, moving one of his legs to cross over the other one, then smirked, imagining him tripping up when time restarted. She wasn't going to stick around for the spectacle, however, and Grace took this opportunity to run. She sprinted down the street, the river Seine insight as time reanimated. She could hear the buzz of a crowd gathering around some sort of charity event by the flowing water, cheering and talking, distracting her for a second. She turned around, her eyes widening as she saw more of Loki's men gathering and looking for her. The man who had been initially chasing her spotted her, a gash on his forehead from where he had presumably tripped over. He narrowed his eyes, pointing in her direction and leading the pack of men towards her. She dodged past people walking through the populated area, coming closer and closer to the crowd, hoping that she'd reach it before the men. Suddenly, someone barged into her shoulder, his eyes locking with her's for a single moment before he walked off. Grace stopped dead in her tracks, a few rows into the crowd as her eyes trained on the man. He turned for a moment, his expression dark before he turned back around and continued walking. Her breathing was fast after running continuously and she patted down her coat. In an instant, all of the roaring sounds around her tuned out and she could hear nothing but a gentle beeping. Her hand grasped around something small and metal and in her pocket and she looked down to see a small device in her hand, a red blinking light on it. She knew what it was. She began desperately pushing through the crowd towards the river.

"Get out the way, déplacer loin de l'eau!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Panicked screams and yells began sounding around her as she threw the bomb into the air over the river. The manic running had lulled for a moment as it hurtled through the air, the beeping sounding louder and the blinking light growing brighter. Just as the small bomb released a powerful explosion, Grace pulled up a forcefield, putting up a wall of blue light between herself and the crowd, and the bomb. Gasps and screams sounded all around her as the explosion was heard from everyone in a mile radius. Those closest to the explosion felt it's impact being greatly protected by the forcefield but still feeling some power push them backwards. Grace jerked her head away from the explosion, feeling the heat of the fire hit her forcefield and run down to the palm of her hands, not enough to burn them but just enough for her to gasp and let down the forcefield. The explosion had subsided and near silence had fallen across the square, or at least that was what Grace thought as her ears were still ringing. All she knew was that everyone was staring at her: she had exposed herself. She stumbled out of the crowd, people getting out of her way as she moved. She couldn't tell whether their stares were in awe, in shock, or in fear. It was for the best to stop time once more, allowing her to make a top-secret getaway. It took a few minutes for her mind to clear, and in that time she had weakly moved towards the alley she'd remembered from a book on S.H.I.E.L.D bases. She looked around to see she was still alone and, opening an old-looking fuse box, placed her thumb on a secret fingerprint scanner. The metal door swung open and with that, everything around her became re-animated. Walking to the reception desk she bumped into none other than Agent Coulson.

"Grace? Thank god," He said holding the girl's shoulders and inspecting her wounds. He then reached into his pocket and spoke into his communicator: "Gratia is safe." He said, letting out a breath of relief. She was still shaken up, but she smiled. She didn't want to worry about what had happened, SHIELD would take care of her.


End file.
